Sunday, September 28, 2014

Sunday Stashin' #6

It's been a while since we've done a Sunday Stash post! I have a couple yummy goodies to share today.

First up - I recently participated in a fat eight swap of "Moonlit" (cotton + steel) hosted by Erin. She is one heck of a swap mama! She is in the process of swapping all the C + S lines. I chose the "Moonlit" line because of the great colors and geometric patterns. I am not crazy about the butterfly prints but I'm sure I can do something with them. The top 5 fabrics in the left column are probably my favorites. I am really loving aqua recently!


Speaking of aqua - there is some pretty aqua in these charm square packs of "Miss Kate" by B&C.  Yes, C + S and Miss Kate, I have given in to all the trends...le sigh.

Lastly, look at these GORGEOUS Kaffe Fassett shot cottons. This is the 'dark' FQ bundle from Craftsy actually. This is my birthday present from Kimberly and the pictures do not do this fabric justice. I actually didn't want any until I saw it in person. Then I was like *drool, faint, die*  - they are that gorgeous, seriously. I have no idea what I am going to do with them other than gaze at them lovingly forever. I kind of wish I would have had them before I started by CMM quilt (as that is going to live on my bed for a while when it's done) but oh well.
This bundle is actually one FQ short as Kimberly couldn't help pinching a real mustard-y FQ before she handed them over (wait until you see what she did with it - gorgeous!).

Until next time!

Francesca

Saturday, September 27, 2014

#verycherryswap

I recently participated in the #verycherryswap on instagram. The partners were not secret so Trisha and I had a lot of fun sneak peaks at what we've been making for each other over the last few weeks.

Here's the quilted tote bag I made for Trisha. I also made a lanyard and a drink koozie (which I forgot to photograph). I tossed in some nail polish, lip gloss, chapstic, and fabric scraps to round out the package.
This tote bag is fully reversible! In this picture the top is folded down so you can see the very cherry lining (which matches the lanyard).


One side of the completed bag. I snowballed some red charm squares to make the cherries on the bottom.  I couched some green wool roving with a zig-zag stitch to make the stems. I love using that cotton webbing for the handles. I should have dyed it light blue or pink or something, though!


Here's the other side of the bag (before it was finished obvi).


Close up of the lanyard.


I did some FMQ on the outside of the bag. Compare with the picture below...


I used some awesome solar active thread that turns pink in the sunlight...so, so cool!

Tricia sent me the most awesome swap package ever! It was jam-packed with so many goodies!
Two gorgeous pot-holders with hand sewn hexies, dried tart cherries (being saved for a very special batch of stuffing), cherry life savers, some cherry blossoms fabrics, a sweet card, cherry cordials, a patchwork drink koozie, a hand made/stamped notes book, cherry blossom stickers, an awesome jam jar pin cushion filledwith buttons and wooden spools, cherry tea bags, and (possibly my favorite item) a wonderfully clever and super adorable drawstring ditty bag. Wowza! Thank you so much, Tricia! You rock!

Francesca

Edit: I never photographed the koozie I made, but I did find the 'sneak peak' shot of it I posted on instagram. You can see the exterior fabric and the button I used. Unfortunately, you can't see the shape of the koozie or the pretty, matching Amy Butler fabric that I used for the inside, oh well. Thanks again to my mom, Kimberly, for this sweet cherry fabric.

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Churn Dash completed

I was looking back through some posts and realized that I never posted about the finished churn dash quilt I made for my neice's graduation present.   I used Amy Butler charms and some beautiful blue and aqua solids.  The quilting features bumblebees and swirls!

Oops - behind on blogging again!

Where does the time go?!  Summer is fading away and the crisp fall weather is hinting at the snowy days to come already (and it is just September).

We have been very busy sewing and quilting at the Swink Girls but not so good at blogging :(  You can also follow me on Instagram.  I am @swink_girl.

I   have been working for several weeks on the July do. Good Stitches quilt.  The quilting part took forever!  I was not happy with the background quilting I started and so I frogged it out.  Then I had terrible tension issues with the thread I  chose for the flower centers and ended ripping those out too and replacing with a different thread.  The tesion issues continued causing me to need to frog out an entire side border as well.  All in all the quilting took at least 5 times longer than it needed to ...grrrr.  But finally it is complete and I love this one!