rbwiese

here is one link that didn't post - I like it because it has some of the jar fabrics turned on their side to make flat jars - cute!

http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...d-t236982.html

sewbizgirl

Maybe if you post an inquiry in its own thread in the swap section it will be seen by more people. Remember you need permission from PatriceJ before posting an actual swap.... Good luck!

yonnikka

Dear Sewbusygirl, I've been reading these posts about duplicates, and just want to say that I would welcome some duplicates, (those footballs!!) I'm collecting I SPY charms and squares for several projects, rather than just one as an immediate quilt. Duplicates? no problem. I'd like to thank you for organizing this Swap, and being so conscientious about reminders, and keeping us all informed of your concerns. And I especially look forward to seeing some I SPY quilts made from this swap, including those in progress as you work along.

sewbizgirl

You are welcome, yonnikka. I like duplicates too, because some of the quilts I make are "matching game" I Spys... where the kids have to find the matching pairs. So two of everything works for me!

Yes, I hope we will come back to this thread and show our quilts as we make them!

I have talked to Sandra and life is still pretty overwhelming for her. I will probably be handling the next swap for her, too. I was thinking about maybe June, not before... just to give us time to gather some new interest in the swap. I will also be rolling out a new method of packaging and sending your squares, so that it is much easier to swap them. Sandra and I agreed on this! So look for the announcement for signups and the new rules around the middle or end of May.

What would you all be interested in as a "twist"? One idea is food items, so that the jar quilts that rbwiese mentioned could be made. I welcome any other suggestions. We've done "girl" and "boy" twists most recently.

rbwiese

Two twist ideas I have thought about are School items and animals - I plan to be able to participate in the next swap - think I am done with my "illness phase". I am somewhere like Sandra - trying to get my strength back. So have collected some new fabrics and am waiting to swap.

Rena

sewbizgirl

I hope you are done with your illness phase too, Rena! Good suggestions for the swap. Any of those will work in the regular swap too, so go ahead and start collecting fabric. It will be good to have you back.

quiltingdragon

Sewbizgirl, I know you are going to have a new method of packaging, but will the number of squares we need of each stay the same? Just asking as I will start buying a bit of fabric when I see it.

sewbizgirl

Basically, this is the new method: You will be packing 10 different fabric squares into each bag, rather than the old way of packing 10 all the same per bag. Previously you could send up to 15 bags, but now you will be able to send a max of 16, because you will get 8 squares per width of fabric, so two of those will give you 16. The twists will probably be a max of 8 bags of 10 different squares....

You can use as many different fabrics as you like, but it takes a minimum of 10. Each bag can have the same 10 fabrics in it, or your bags can be different, just as long as there are no repeats within each bag.

Then, when I get all the bags, I can simply swap bag for bag, without ever taking individual squares out of bags and redistributing them. THAT process took about 5 hours, including the twist. The new way shouldn't take more than an hour.

So for cutting, it will be a matter of cutting one or two 5" strips times the width of fabric. Then cross cut them into either 8 or 16 5" squares. Once you have done this with 10 fabrics, make stacks of 10 with one each of your 10 fabrics, and bag them!

EASY PEASY. And another plus is that everyone's name and board name will be on THEIR bags, so if someone sends in short cuts or bad cuts (not fussy cut, heads cut off, etc...) the recipient can contact the giver directly, letting them know of the problem. If someone tells you you sent bad cuts, please be prepared to send them some replacements.

There will be more accountability this way. Everyone needs to take their time and double check their cuts before sending them. Most were great last time, but there were some that were HORRENDOUS. I spent an extra 2 hours checking and trimming one person's squares, and that can't happen again.

I think we will all like the new method. It keeps your leaders from getting totally burned out! Owlvamp asked me to get this new method started and then she will continue it when she feels ready to take the swap back on. It's really no more work for the swappers, and should encourage everyone to be more careful with their cutting, since their name will be on their work.

So start looking for some cute I Spy fabs for next time... It would be great if everyone sent in NEW prints that they have not sent or seen in the swap before.

Thanks!!

owlvamp

I want to thank you all for working so well with sewbizgirl. I am so grateful she is helping me and stepped up to take this on. It is a big job and as a hostess we try to make everyone happy and even fix mistakes before given back. I believe the new method will be awesome and also a huge turn around on our part of swapping. Which means you will get your blocks back faster.
So start collecting the fabric and get ready for June to to come and join. Hopfully we will get more people to swap.

sewbizgirl

I'm excited that you should all start getting your packages today or tomorrow. I have started a baby quilt to donate with 36 of the more babyish prints, plus a few I already had. It's this one, done as a 9 patch and then cut up like a D9P to form the sashings and cornerstones the easiest way. Check it out!
http://obsessivelystitching.blogspot...ring-nine.html

Here's another beautiful little pattern from Project Linus. It's meant for bigger blocks but the idea can be adapted to our 5" I Spy squares.
http://asimplelifequilts.blogspot.co...on-friday.html So pretty but so simple!