MizMelly

Gosh, I feel SOOO organized! I have all my candies cut and sorted and packaged in envelopes, and I bought an assortment of 30 cards on Amazon for around $12, so a better deal than going to Dollar Tree. I also had a pretty selection of 6" X 9" envelopes that I'm utilizing, and purchased postage already. Whew! Just waiting for addresses for the first birthday ladies in March!

djmat

JennR8R, I normally mail within a day or two of the hosts PM, usually the 3rd week of the month for the upcoming month, even if the next month birthdays are after the 15th because I'd rather be early than late & really do not like to backtrack. I watch for birthdays that occur the first week of the month to make sure they get it on time.

I file my worksheet, mail receipts, & log with notes for reference to help me gauge annual swapping costs (fabric, baggies, printing, cards, envelops, & postal costs), & notate swap problems to address , if any. All of this helps determine future swapping goals for my projected quilts. I am surprised at how much money I save by swapping instead of buying for each project!

Besides, it is so much fun to send & receive from others, have a sense of community, and learn from the seasoned & master quilters - only been quilting 4 yrs & had to get myself organized. Sorry, didn't mean to write a book!
hugs,
dj

djmat

WMUTeach, so glad you are on the mend, been thinking of you!
hugs,
dj

SheriR

Jenn, I just looked at your tutorial and I LOVE it! I hope you were added to our swap. I wonder if we could use your tutorial for one of our quilt alongs....

MizMelly

Oh, I love Jenn's barnraising scrappy quilt!! I won't have enough charms until next December tho!! But I'll bookmark that tutorial and save it for when I do have enough charms to make that quilt!

SheriR

Barb, I'm glad your daughter is on the mend. So scary when our children are ill, especially being so ready to have a baby. We nearly lost my daughter after she had her baby on the 10th. Baby is in perfect health. She was a whopping 9lbs 8oz and 20" long. But the next day my daughter started hemorrhaging because of a clingy piece of placenta. If her husband had not been in the room I just can't think of what we'd be doing today! They gave her 7.5 pints of blood in surgery. I'm so glad I'm here into March. I think she'll be having her strength that long.

I finished little Ryah's little Valentine's quilt the other day. http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...s-t276000.html Now I'm starting her sisters twin quilt. My hubby also mailed me my project I wanted to bring, but couldn't fit in my alotted baggage. (My Bonnie Hunter mystery and my Daughters Big Foot Christmas quilt) I'll start working one of these after I finish the twin quilt.

sewbizgirl

Sherry, the quilt is beautiful... so full of love and girliness.

Your new granddaughter is so gorgeous! Just want to cuddle and kiss that beautiful little head. What a wonderful blessing she is.

Whenever I FINALLY get a grandbaby I am going to be over the moon! Will probably have to move next door so I can be there all the time.

sewbizgirl

Jenn was added to our swap! I love that BarnRaising quilt too! It would be great as a quiltalong.

Anoka Quilter

I love Jenn's scrappy log cabin. It is a very pretty quilt and I too am glad that she shared her technique.

sewbizgirl

Newbies who may not have a stash of 2.5 squares yet can start cutting up their scraps! I like to cut strips if I can, and then cut them into squares when needed. (Some quilts are easier to piece in strips and then cross cut to look like you pieced squares.) That way, you will be able to participate in the quiltalongs if you want to, without having to wait til your birthday candies come. Start building a stash of squares (or strips) from your scrap bin!