October Swap from USA

This month I was paired with Brenda, from Ohio in the US and today I received this love blue and yellow Hunters Star to add to my collection:

This is the Storm at Sea block I sent to Brenda:

Thanks for being my block partner this month Brenda!

Cheers,
Sue P

Swedish star

OOhhh, I am such a lucky girl to have two squishy parcels in my letterbox tonight, and one with an array of colorful stamps telling me its a parcel from Sweden. Along with the blocks was two groovy star coasters, I am going to take them in to work to use on my desk, as my desk is glass and its always getting cup rings on it. 

The other was my pretty fabric from a FQ swap I am in, along with some lovely trim.  But here is a better look at that fantastic star that Carin made for me, it is so intricate and beautifully made, all I can say is WOW.- thank you Carin xx

Tea for Robyn...

On the plane all the way from the USA to...
Menai NSW Australia!

October block for Robyn
I'd let her know that it was going in the
mail a couple days late. As I was finishing the
"design of the tea pot & cup"!
I am really hoping that she likes it...my girls and I had fun
Trying out  ideas for her block!

Blessings~ Lori from Wisconsin-USA

Spool Block / Plaited Block

Just received this gorgeous block from Karen. She also used this block as a basis of her blog tutorial, which I highly recommend to all the '1st timers' of a Spool Block.
http://sewwellmaide.com.au/2012/10/tutorial-not-so-dreadful-y-seam.html
Karen, your Y-seam joints are so neat and 'perfectly' done. Thanks for a great block and the extra fabric. Love them both.

This is my block to Karen.  I do apologize for the shadow on the top left hand corner.

Bright log cabin

Petah is one of my partners this month, and her request was for a log cabin with a red centre, creams on one side and brights on the other,  I hope this fits the bill,  I had fun picking which pretty brights to use.

From Christie Leigh

Hi sue,
I have been completely oblivious of the date so I have just finished OCT swap today and will post tomorrow (i have sent kristy an email to let her know) ive attached a pic to show you, I hope im on the right path with only a few swaps under my belt now (im freaking out a little less these days :) )
But I am having a great time doing these blocks, and building my stash as I only have a little collection I have to buy the fabric for every block I make :) more fabric....not a problem hahahaha
xxxx
ChristieLeigh

BOO

Happy Halloween to our Northern friends that celebrate this haunting time of the year.  Not something that is really celebrated down under, but I always have a few treats on hand in case some littlies come knocking on my door.


I have just completed sending out our November swaps, and we have 77 swapping this month.  As you can see numbers are down, but I have "culled" quite a few for not honouring swaps, or not communicating so I am hoping that the ladies still with us are all doing the right thing by their swap partner and honouring the code of conduct.  If you have not completed your October swap now is the time to let your partner know you are running late, to get an email is better than not knowing.

Thank you also to my gorgeous angels that have been hard at work making some missed swap blocks and also sending some quilty love to the ladies in our group that are doing it tough or have been unwell.  I have a couple of new missions to send you on for November.

As we approach the Festive season many of you do wish to sit out a month or two so please let me in advance so I can get my data base organised, if anyone is ever wondering what it looks like, here is a picture

Blue means you have had an international partner, green is an Australian swap partner and yellow is sitting out a month or two.  Purple is the double swaps and you don't want to have red against you, as that means you are on my radar for not playing nice.

Most months it takes me around 2 hours to partner up and send out the emails.  I only keep track of the last 6 months worth of swaps, as I figured that if you happen to get a double up with some one, it would have been more than 6 months ago, so that's ok.

Well that's me signing off for this month, I am now heading back to my sewing room to play. But first a cuppa, as I think I have earned one.

Quilted hugs, Sue

Friendship Star Block for Janeene

For the October block I had Janeene and she asked for any star block and liked reds, purple and neutrals.  I made her this Friendship Star.

This is the first basket block I've made and my first swap :) I made it for Mary in Toronto - hope it's arrived safely.

two gorgeous blocks

i was lucky enough to receive two blocks this week!  this gorgeous one from Kerry with some spare squares to make some more of my own...

 and this one from Lori who was being an angel for Dee while she has a broken arm, and covered her swap - what a lovely, thoughtful lady - and a lovely block too!!!

lucky me :)
xx

October Block from Carolyn in Australia

Carolyn did this awesome fall color log cabin block for me. The colors are awesome. Since our colors here are at their peak the block arrived at a time that it looks like I picked it off a tree. Thanks Carolyn.

October Blocks in and out

Today I received this lovely block from Terry US.. Along with the block Terry sent a copy of the pattern she used and a Summery magnet..




Thank you Terry your block will match my other beautifully.
This is the block I sent to Terry..


Hugz  Maria

Sharyn's House

This is the block I made for Sharyn this month. I was excited by her choice of block - any house block in bright colours. I drafted a pattern and paper pieced this block. I was so happy with the end result and love that this house comes with a pet and a vegetable garden (well, peas anyway!). Jeneta.

October See-Saw for Val

Here is the October block I made for Val. She requested any block in pinks, greens and naturals. I made a See-Saw block a couple of months ago and loved the way it turned out so was happy to do it again for Val--hope you like it!!

Blessings
Helen

Thank you to the angels

Hello ladies,

I received a lovely email of thanks from an angel recipient and with her permission am sharing the contents with you all.

Beth here, Thank you so much to you and your "angels " .My husband was
collecting the mail and calling me on the phone to find out what to do
with the squishy letters to me.
Of course I told him to bring them when he came for a visit.
Opening the first one and reading the heartfelt message inside reduced
me to tears, not to mention the block too.
You really can't imagine how much it meant to me, gran was both amazed
and humbled that you and our swap group were thinking of us.
We laid Gran to rest yesterday,a quiet simple service much like the lady
herself.
She had 3 weeks at home before the pain got too bad and had to go to
palliative care, just as she wanted, all her friends and our family
visited with her.
One of the last things she said to me was, finish that star quilt, it
needs to be finished.

I am sure  you will agree that Beth's Gran is now an angel in heaven and will be looking down on her to make sure that the star quilt is completed. with thanks to all of the angels that made a friendship star for Beth.

July Block Received

After a bit of a delay (not sure if the Spanish mail system isn't up to par) I received not one but two lovely blocks from Encarna in Spain.

I really like that lovely swirly yellow fabric in the second one.

Thanks so much Encarna,
Cheers,
Sue

Inpromptu swap

As per my previous post, the lovely Maxine and I did an impromptu mid month swap and her lovely block arrived in the mail today with a gorgeous matching hand made card.  I even love the cute teapot gift tag she attached.

I am saving contemporary blocks/ prints in black, white, grey and yellow and her lovely birds in the air block is a great example of how well they work together.

Here are the first six blocks laid out together, this is going to be a striking quilt when it is finished.

Block for Alison

My October partner is Alison. I've just posted her block. Hopefully she will receive it next week.
It's a String block in White and blue.

Maxines Violets

Maxine commented on the block used in my candy necklace quilt (on my personal blog) as she would like this incorporated into her sampler quilt.  So I offered to do a swap with her and make this for her.  Maxine's request was in violet and green and I remembered having some African violet in my fabric that would be perfect.

I hope Maxine likes my interpretation of this block for her, it will be posted on Monday

September Blocks sent and received - CathyC

I have been remiss in not blogging about my blocks here in the group blog .......
So I have made a list and checked it twice ............ here is what I missed LOL

This block is for Kerry for QBSA September swap, who requested any block in Burgundy, pink and cream - Thanks for letting me know it has arrived, Kerry - glad you like it.

This is the block Kerry sent me - thank you, it will fit in so well with all the others.

if I have missed anyone, please let me know ;-)

another purple pinwheel .........

This is my beautiful September pinwheel block from Cathy. It arrived a little late because of a 3 week trip from USA. I asked for 1 colour to be purple, but in this block I have 3 purples - just gorgeous - thank you Cathy. (The photo shows as blues, but it really is a series of wonderful purples.)

My October block has reached Anna, who asked for burgundy or red on cream. I chose a batik fabric with spots and lovely small patterns. this is what I made and sent -

Anna said she is very happy with this block, and that my block from her should arrive soon. Thank you Anna.

Using orphan quilt blocks

In the two and half years that I have been running QBSA I have accumulated a pile of orphan blocks.  I have decided to try and use these up in little projects and as I do I will share them with you  if you make a small project from orphan blocks I encourage you to share them with us too, just like you would the big quilt projects you make with blocks received.,

What are orphan blocks you may ask, well they are ones that don't quite fit the quilt you are planning, they may be the wrong colours, the design does not go with the others or in the case of the one I am sharing tonight they are an incorrect size.

Tonight I had a rummage through all of the quilt blocks that I have collected and I have pulled a few out to make some small items from them.

My first one is this cushion in blue teacups.  This block was made for me by Alethea, and unfortunately it only measured 11.5 inches so too small to incorporate into a quilt.  my request was any block in blue in small prints like what you find on tea cups, and her interpretation was to do a nine patch block and fussy cut the tea cups.  Its a really pretty block so I would have hated it to go to waste.

First I machine appliqued the tea cups as they had only been fused on, and with use would fall off with repeated use if I did not secure them.

Then I added a couple of extra borders ( the original block finished with the first dark blue border.
I backed it in the same blue as the outer border with a closure trim in my first border to tie it all in, and shazzam, now I have a pretty new cushion.

Helene and Isa's swap

This is the gorgeous block I received from Isa

Cheers

Helene

Depression block for Carin in Sweden

Here is the depression block that I have made for Carin in her choice of blues, aquas and teal.  I had to pop some dark blues in there as well to make the pattern work.  I hope this is what Carin is hoping for.  Isn't the name for this a bit sad.  I know its a traditional block from the Depression using up scraps, but its such a pretty pattern. I really had to sift through my blues to get enough colours for this.

I think I must be spending too much time in the sewing room as DH seems to me missing me, look at him fooling around to try  and get into the picture, or just to get my attention.

Carin is my last PIF recipient for 2012, so I partnered with her this month so I can send her a fat package with other goodies in it too.  This will be winging its way to Sweden next week. 

Blocks for Erin

Here are blocks for Erin this month, she wanted stars in different colors..I hope you like them Erin!!

Dahlia helping!

Hugs!  Julianne

The Netherlands...

Letting you know that Ank wanted me to know that she
received my block today! Yea!
All that way in 1 week! That was some great service :)
Thank you post man and thank you Sue for posting.
Ank said she loved her block & I loved mine!
A wonderful & so enjoyed swap!
Thanks Sue for matching us up...
 and for all you do for a
wonderful swap!

Blessings~
Lori from the USA