Swaps: Santa’s Elf and the Sleepy Hippo

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I decided to participate in two swaps before Christmas, the Festive Mug Rug Swap and then the Schnitzel and Boo Mini Quilt. It is my first time participating in a handmade project swap, but I was super excited and eagerly waited for my partner assignment.

Festive Mug Rug Swap

I immediately knew I would use my paper-piecing gift tag pattern (see on the right, free to download) for mug rug. These are the final goodies that was sent to my partner. I love this perfect fabric line for some fuzzy cutting of the Santa’s Elves (Robert Kaufman).

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Schnitzel and Boo Mini Quilt Swap

This one took me a while to work out, what I was going to do, but I wanted to try a new skill – sketch stitching to applique shapes. I had also been talking with my friend Daisy, about making an improv. hippo quilt with a low volume background. So, those two ideas resulted in this….

SleepyHippo_final

I added some straight line quilting to the background, then appliqued the hippo. I think the sketch stitch went pretty well and happy with the final outcome.  I love how the black and white binding to finishes off the quilt.

For the back, I used this much loved hippo fabrics (Puti de Pome, So Happy, Hippos) from my stash and added some hanging corners.SleepyHippo_back

Let me know if you are interested in the hippo template and I can provide it. Linking up with Amanda Jean over @ Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it up Friday.

Keep on sewing, keep on sewing…

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Quilts_basted

I have been doing pretty well with my tracking for my January projects. I basted 3 of my projects that I had listed in my to do list/goals for the year.

Monthly plan Project Current Status
 31 January  Spoonflower Sampler Quilt TOP, BACK, BASTE, QUILT (UNDERWAY), BIND
 16 January  Sew Mama Sew (Project 5)  TOP (UNDERWAY), BACK, BASTE, QUILT, BIND
 31 January  Bjorn the Bear TOP, BACK, BASTE, QUILT, BIND
 31 January  Jungle Ave Tapa TOP, BACK, BASTE, QUILT, BIND
 16 January  Schnitzel & Boo Mini Quilt TOP, BACK, BASTE, QUILT, BIND (COMPLETE)

In addition to the listed projects, I have also been distracted by a couple of other projects:

  1. “Forever” this is my hexie quilt which I started way back in May 2013.HeatherRossHexiesHexagons1
  2. Belated Christmas gifts (Electronics cable caddy, and a necklace travel case)
    IMG_3209

So, a busy week (well weekend ahead). Linking up with Lee over @ Freshly Pieced for WiP Wednesday (see button on the right).

January news + giveaway

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After my big clean up of my sewing room, I am feeling very productive. To keep the productivity up, I need to set my “A lovely year of finishes goals” for January.

My ButtonMy focus this month is to finish my Spoonflower Sampler quilt and write-up the pattern for each of the blocks. I have already made some progress on this quilt (sorry for the quality of the photos…we have had some grey and miserable weather over the last week).

  • The back is made:
    IMG_3156
  • The quilt sandwich is basted and some straight line quilting is underway.SpoonflowerSampler

My Blog and a Give away
Those that use WordPress hosted environment, knows that you get an annual report on how your blog went this year. In 2014,

  • If my blog was an exhibit at the Louvre Museum, it would take about 4 days for that many people to see it.
  • My top posts were the iPhone/iPad stand tutorial, and Gypsy Wife QAL (final link up of the finish is happening now)
  • My blog was viewed by 137 countries
  • I posted 190 times this past year

The best news though, and the reason for running a give-away today is I now have 1,000 blog followers. I want to say a big  thank you to those that follow me, who make me feel part of a community and who have become close friends. hawthorne_threads_200_225I will randomly select a winner Tuesday 13 January 6pm EST….for a $30 gift card to Hawthorne Threads. Leave a single comment if you are a follower letting me know  the one big thing you want to accomplish this year. Mine … to “Sew my Stash” in the first 6 months of this year.

Additionally, based on WordPress annual report for my blog, I am sending a $30 gift card to these top commenters.
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Thank you all !!!