Monday 8 December 2014

#igminiswap

If you are on Instagram I'm sure you will have noticed - if not participated in - the IGminiswap arranged a few months ago by Sandy aka @curly_boy1. I'm not really one for swaps myself, being a rather selfish kind of sewer, but it felt like *everyone* on my feed was joining this one so I thought what the hell and went for it. 

Here's a quick share of the loveliness I received, all the way from Krystal in Utah.



This is happily one of those minis that I had secretly really wished was mine. It is lots of little Thimbleblossoms mini patterns made with all Bonnie and Camille fabric. In my late night panic I had taken the easy approach on my form and said I loved "everything Thimbleblossoms" so I hoped I was in with a shout. And I was! 

Krystal threw in some perfect extras for me too, a sweet little sewing kit, some cute FQs and these amazing fingerless mittens - one pair for each member of my family! We are all thrilled and they are being worn, thank you so much! 



So that's what I received, but this post is more importantly about what I made. 

I was a bit overwhelmed to receive my partner's information. Maggie is a rather cool NYC girl who loves pink, aqua, yellow solids and low volume backgrounds, so totally the opposite to me then!! At least we share a fondness for metallics! I really do feel that the point of swaps is to make something your partner will love so I stepped out of my comfort zone, ordered a bunch of solids in the requisite colours from Simply Solids (as these were entirely absent in my stash!) and set my brain to work. Inspiration finally struck in the form of this little card that my daughter received from someone at school. The miraculous Kelly whipped me up a paper piecing template and I got on with it. 

I keep looking at this stack. And procrastinating. And looking again. Way out of my comfort zone but I think it could be awesome. #igminiswap #teamrosanne


It was pretty fiddly, these pieces are 2" by 3" finished. And picking the papers off the back nearly finished me off!


I've just remembered why I hate paper piecing. #igminiswap #teamrosanne #fpp #paperpiecing


I quilted it with wonky wavy lines with my walking foot in Aurifil #5007 which is a really wonderful neutral blue-grey. Bound it in one of those low volume prints.





And added a label. This is Maggie's own diamond design which I made up in my favourite blender prints and wrote on using a Pigma Micron pen. I was so pleased to discover these pens as I've been really stuck for a labelling pen which doesn't feather and bleed into the fabric. Just wish I had prettier handwriting!



I did some investigating on Instagram to see what kind of extras she might like and popped in a bumper scrap pack from Karen Lewis Textiles (previously known as Blueberry Park). And a couple of Wispas!

This picture is from Maggie's Instagram, I didn't send her a half eaten Wispa!!


Overall I was really delighted with how this mini turned out. It is not something I would have ever thought to make myself, so I am so happy for the inspiration! I was rather sad to see it go.

Some pics.








I hope it is very happy in its new home. I am sure it will be.

And that's a tick off the FAL list too!


3 comments:

  1. What you received is beautiful along with what you made as well. I am thinking of joining a swap as well. I have never done one so a little nervous. I would hat to disappoint someone! Beautiful work.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Looks like you got each other spot on! I haven't done a swap for ages, but even I was tempted by this one, but I stayed strong ahaha! The pattern you used is brilliant.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow! The quilt you received is awesome. I love all B&C fabrics too. The spiral quilting so close together is amazing. And the quilt you made is awesome too. The colours and quilting look great.

    ReplyDelete

I love to hear from you! Thank you for your comment :-)