Quilty Thursday - Mini Swaps & Color Map

Hello Loves,

This is the last post of the month, the last Thursday.  Today I thought I'd share some projects/swaps I have participated in the last few months. It's been a long emotional time for me the last few months and family stresses to worry about.  So I have really missed being in my sewing room.  Not to mention the on-line classes I was trying to take.  It felt so good to be in my sewing room and rediscovering my creative mind.  Outside of church my sewing room in my haven, my peace, my chance to get away from it all.  Nothing feels so refreshing as letting creative juices just take over the mind and heart.  Afterwards you have something tangible to hold and give or show to others.  The best is when you see what you created with your own two hands.  Makes me giddy!

I have loved being in my on-line quilting club and we have done some fun swaps over the year.  I thought I would share February's with you.  The rules were to create something that you discovered about your partner that was inspirational or something that they might find inspirational.  We got to chat over the course of the month via email.  She was honest about her life and it was great knowing I was not the only person who was not perfect in the club.  Although mentally I know we all have our struggles and personal issues to deal with.  But sometimes reading the posts you kind of feel maybe you aren't as together as others.  Why do we do that, compare ourselves.  And it happens to all of us, even those of us who know better.  Sigh, women are so complicated, lol.  Okay, back on topic.

Our mini quilts had to be 12 inches and quilted; how it was quilted was up to us.  We were allowed to be as traditional or as out of the box as we wanted.  We could also embellish however we wanted.

This is what my swap partner sent to me:

 

This is the front and backsideIt's too cute, I love it!

This is the front and backside of what I sent my swap partner:

(shhhhh, I just love this too, it had issues, but it I still love it.  I hope she does too!)

My mini, "Twinkle Twinkle" is completely personal to her story she shared with me, hence certain things were done in parts, not in wholes.  I sent her a recap of her story as I heard it and why I did each thing I did with the mini.  I hope she is able to enjoy it.  Of course I had to send a few goodies with it as well.  I need to do more projects that including hand embroidery so I can practice curves.

I was so thrilled with my first paper pieced old style singer sewing machine.  I love it.  It's done with this linen type charm park from Andover that I received in my Quilty box in January.  (I can't wait to get started on some more of my Quilty Box projects.)

Now there is also a Facebook group of people who are in the club or are just fans of the owner of the club, we also do swaps there.  It just happens that month was also a mini, anywhere from 16 to 20 inches.  This one is based on my secret partner's favorite colors, from what I could find.  

Here is the swap, front and back, that my swap partner sent me along with some other goodies:

  

This is what I sent my partner for the FB group, plus some goodies:

Front - Design Your Own Quilt Block from She Can Sew.

Back

And last but not least I want to share my Color Map from Spoonflower!  The Color Map has nearly 1500 color chips AND the corresponding hexadecimal codes!  By the way those same codes correspond to RGB colors.  So you don't have to look at your monitor and think you have this great color then when you have the fabric printed, it's a completely different shade than you thought.  You know I am still working on that perfect purple rabbit fabric, lol.  Yes, still.  I will have that fabric and this Color Map will not only help me do that, but it will also help me in planning out my Color Play Fridays!  Woot Woot, win win!  I can't wait to experiment with the map.

I order the Color Map, a smaller version, which I'm going to give away to some lucky person, and a swatch book of the various types of fabric they have.  I was pleased with the package.  Previously I'd ordered a swatch of my logo design from them to see how it would look so I was expecting to like my package this time as well.

Alright lovies, that's it for today Quilty Thursday!  I know I'll post them on the last Thursday of every month, but I'm still debating if I want to do twice a month with them.

I hope you have a long and relaxing weekend.  Take care hon.

Love and Shimmies,

Farmer's Wife 1930's Quilt-Along

Good Morning Lovies,

It's Thursday (not Monday), so what else could I possibly write about that can't be covered on Monday's.  My newest project! I am doing a sew-along, rather quilt-along with the Farmer's Wife 1930 Quilt-Along Facebook group, you can find out more information here.  Each week the Angie, the administrator of the Facebook group and hostess of this quilt-along, from Gnome Angel chooses two block from the book, "The Farmers Wife 1930's Sampler Quilt" by Laurie Aaron Hird, for us to complete that week.  I will be posting about my experiences, pictures of my blocks, and my thoughts about the corresponding letters shared in the book for each block.  FYI:  I will be using Hashtag: #FQS1930FarmersWife and #FW1930 with the name of the block at the end, we will all be using those two.  I will also be using #WhimsicalFW1930 for my own pictures and posts about my blocks.

Each block in the book is attached to a letter that was written by guess who?  Yep, a farmers wife back in the 1930's.  How did I end up in this my very first quilt-along?  Well, my dear husband took me to a quilt shop during our anniversary trip in Tennessee.  While I was walking around drooling over everything and packing my basket full of little goodies, he was spotting a few things too.  He actually suggested two very good products for me, this book was one of them.  He was standing there reading it as I was oooh'g and ahhhh'g (yep, those are words, well they are now) over some quilts.  He then suggested I buy it because he thought I would enjoy the letters too.  He was right.  I read a few of them before the quilt-along started.  I did enjoy therm, but I decided not to read the whole book right then.  I wanted to be able to read the letters right before I start sewing each block.  I think that way I will feel more connected to the block and the writer of each letter.  Besides, I can use the 1920's one if I really need some letters to read.  Somewhere I spotted the sew-along starting on the Facebook group here.  I immediately signed up since we had bought the book.  Weeks later I discovered that the book I had was actually the 1920's version.  After examining our budget I went ahead and ordered the 1930's version.  I will probably be sewing with both of them.  The sew-along will last a year, but it's not a race.  Although two blocks are chosen a week everyone is expected to move at their own pace.  But, I want to keep up so I can make sure I will have one ready to quilt and enjoy in a year.

Some of it will be machine paper piecing, some hand paper piecing, and some machine sewn with measured blocks, maybe even hand sewn with measured blocks.  But it will be done!  I will be hand stitching because during those nice enjoyable car rides and to take a break from studying.

So, now that you are aware what the Quilty Thursdays will focus on (may also include some other quilting projects that pop up) I present to you my first 3 blocks from the sew-along.  After seeing these and where I was going with fabric choices I decided my quilt and the process with it will be dubbed "Whimsical FW 1930".  So when you see my post with that hashtag you'll know what it's about (and uh, so will I, lol).

These are my fabric choices.  I may add to them as the humor strikes me.  But for now this is what I have.  Of course the goal was to always to take the time to make a quilt for myself.  I always wanted a black and white one with red accents, that's why I had all those fat quarters stored away.  I was going to use the Day and Night quilt block, one of my favorites (churndash being my all time favorite, yep, I'm old fashion).   But decided to try that color scheme for this quilt.  My next farmer's quilt I will use older type print fabric.

These 4 were added to the stash later:

 The new blocks will be posted on these days each week

This is what happens when mosquito's invade your photo shoot.  Ugh, now I have to wash that one again.

 And nowwwwwww, my blocks (I bet you scrolled passed the other pictures didn't you? LOL, it's okay, shhhhh I would have too.  Now go back and check out the other pictures).

Block 16 Bonnie - Now I notice, it's not quite right, lol.
 I'll redo it later. 

Block 12 Becky

Block 8 Aunt

I'll see you Monday for Mystery Meat!  This is a quick one pot bake I just made up as I walked back and forward to the pantry and the freezer, lol.  It was yummy!

Love and Shimmies,