It’s My Birthday!

Or maybe it’s just time to receive Urban Home Goods swaps?  When I got home last night and read “Pink Punk Boutique” on the return label of a fairly large package at my doorstep, I let out a shout!  I’ve been stalking the swap group page a bit and had already seen what Shelley of Pink Punk Boutique made for her partner.  It was LOVE at first sight.  Just look what I got in the mail!!!

Can you believe it? This is so not fair. I don’t deserve this, not-uh, not-uh.

Well, you can see there that Shelley made a gorgeous “rug mug” and sent along a shiney new yellow mug to keep it company. My kitchen is yellow, orange, pink and red, so she nailed it. That little rug mug is actually keeping me company by my laptop right now. I drink water all day long.

I was really, really hoping for a sewing machine cover, and here it is! Could it be any more fab? Linen with wavy quilting! Be still my beating heart! And all that color too. Sigh, it’s perfect. My machine feels so loved (and my dining room table looks much nicer!) Do you see what else she sent?

It’s just the ultimate pincushion!!!! This pincushion caddy is from Anna Maria Horner’s first book Seams to Me.  I’ve been wanting to make it because my current and only pincushion is rather embarrassing.  But, I’ve heard it’s kind of tricky to make, so I’m guiltily relieved that I don’t have to make it for myself (I know, that’s low, https://stitchedincolor.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post-new.phpisn’t it).  I would have been thrilled to receive just the sewing machine cover.  That Shelley sent this too cool pincushion made in Anna’s fabrics (swoon) is so beyond amazing!

But that’s not all.  I know!  I know!  She also made me THREE hot pads. Above are pics I took of the backs. I adore those little selvedge tags. Here is Shelley’s pic of the fronts:

So, what can I say?  I love it!  Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you to Shelley of Pink Punk Boutique!

P.S.  Actually, it is my birthday weekend.  Tonight I’m starting the celebrations by going out to the Indie Craft Parade in Greenville, SC with some girlfriends.  Hopefully, I’ll have some pics for you later.

And, I have a gift for you too… check back on Monday!

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Sewing Machine Cover Finished!

Here’s that finish I so totally needed!  It’s a sewing machine cover for my secret Urban Home Goods swap partner.

I just hope it fits!  This sewing machine cover style allows for wiggle room, but I had a really tough time choosing measurements because of some discrepancies which I shall not disclose for fear of revealing my partner’s identity.

After piecing the top, finishing this machine cover was lots like finishing a quilt.  I wanted to use this half yard of Dolce “Rita” print as the backing, but a half yard was not quite enough.  Stitching a solid aqua border around the backing allowed me to use the half yard and provided a wrap-around aqua binding for the front.

Since I didn’t have matching thread that would hide my stitches, I opted for a zigzag finish on the binding. Zigzag is so forgiving!

Hand-stitched twill ties to the back, and it’s done. This was a nice small canvas for practicing machine quilting. I know there are a few wavy lines, but I hope my partner won’t mind.  I did my very honest best.

This is my first time piecing with white. I know, I know, it’s because I’m such a linen lover! When I originally started the hourglass piecing, I went without solids and paired print with print. While the blocks were pretty alone, they looked just awful as a group. Oops. I did start over with the white, which is what Rita from Red Pepper Quilts used as well.  Soooooo much better.  Happily, one of the rejected hourglasses became an easy pincushion.

See, I just sewed the sides of the square block together with raw edges exposed.  Matching sewing machine cover and pincushion… I like it!  I hope she does too!  And now that my work is done, I’m glad to be anticipating receiving my own surprise package sometime soon.  Yah!

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Do you Like?

Here’s how your sewing machine cover looks so far…

Do you like how it’s coming, partner?

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Shhhhhhhhhhh!

Is there anyone looking over your shoulder?  This post is top secret… my project for the {Urban) Home Goods swap.  Of course, I can’t name my fab secret partner, because it could be YOU, so let’s just call her Mrs. X.

Mrs. X included a list of sewing ideas for me, her blind swap partner.  She implied that she’d be happy with anything, but I know what she really wants – a sewing machine cover!  How do I know this?  Because that’s what I really want!!! Oh, and she did include it on her list and in her inspiration mosaic…

Mrs. X has a style that’s light, upbeat and eclectic.  Fortunately, I had on hand these lovelies that I think we’ll suit her very well:

At first I thought I might make a sewing machine cover like this one, but in the end I decided to mix it up.  I’ll do the same cover style, which allows for a margin of error in the fit, but a different patchwork pattern.  What do you think of this?

Completely fabulous, right!?!  It’s a quilt made by Rita of Red Pepper Quilts.  If you don’t know and love her already, I dare you to click.  Her work is so precise!  She also has a light and upbeat style, so I thought of Red Pepper Quilts when I imagined what Mrs. X would like.  This Hour Glass quilt has been one of my Flickr favorites for a while now.  What a perfect opportunity to give it a go.  And, quite happily, on a small scale.  I’ll be using Rita’s  Hour Glass Block Tutorial.  Wish me luck!

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Fab Flickr Swaps

And speaking of swaps, I’ve joined two others as well (all run by Heather.  That girl seems to be the source of great Flickr groups).

What’s a swap?  The organizer pairs swap members up according to style, including taste in fabric.  Each member makes an inspiration mosaic showing projects and colors she loves that fit the swap theme.  Then, her partner makes her something or maybe a few things – it’s a total surprise!  Because of the nature of Flickr, swap members have fun posting work-in-progress pictures and even pictures of the finished project to the swap group photo pool.  You never know if you might be the lucky recipient until your swap package arrives in the mail!

This is going to be so much fun!  I love the idea of creating for someone else with so much freedom and yet concrete inspiration too.  And, I just know my hard work will be appreciated by a fellow stitcher.

Here is my inspiration mosaic for {Urban} HOME Goods:

Please click on the mosaic to find links to each picture on Flickr.  If you want in on this group, there’s still plenty of time.  Round 1 is finishing up and I’m waiting for Round 2!

I also joined Savvy {Seasons}, which is a swap focused on modern holiday decor.  Yep, this is the group that got me plotting for Christmas sewing already!  But, members can choose to focus on any holiday.  Here’s my mosaic:

The swap is scheduled to start in August, so there’s still time to join. I can’t wait to see my partner’s mosaic and start dreaming!

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