Exchanges, Stitching, Etc.

Now that they have been received, I can show some of the exchanges I've participated in recently.  There are still a few that have not been received, or finished, so, there will be more to come, in the future.

First, I'm in a pin cushion exchange at Beaquilter.  It's one pin cushion each month, for 3 months.  This is the one I made for Bea, for August.  You can see it again, on her post here, along with about 97 other pin cushions that she has. 

front

back, using same fabric as I used for her spool of thread on the front

I haven't received my pin cushion for August, since it is coming from Norway.  Yes, I'll get 2 different pin cushions, from 2 different people in Norway, in this exchange.  How cool is that!?!?!

I was in a paired, mug rug exchange, with my Quilt Along group.  This is an 'offshoot' group from Treadle On.  We did NOT have to use our hand cranks or treadles for this exchange, but, I still did, at least on the mug rugs.  I had to cheat on the project bag, since I just don't have enough hands (or control) with the binding.  Sally was my partner in this exchange.  This is what I sent to Sally.

2 mug rugs (fronts)

backs of mug rugs

I also sent Sally a project bag.

Sally's new project bag (don't you love those treadles!)

Here are the great things that I received from Sally.  The teapots, at the top of the picture, are mine.  Isn't it great that they match what Sally sent!

mug rugs and napkins

I forgot to take pictures of the backs of the mug rugs.  One was in Christmas prints, and the other was a Valentine print.

Sally also sent me some other goodies. 

great matching apron

fun teapot fabric

Sorry for the blurry pictures. 


I was also in another paired mug rug exchange, with Treadle On.  These weren't due till Oct 1st, but, we both had them done, so, we exchanged early.  These were all made on either a treadle or hand crank machine (with cheating on the project bag).  This is what I made for Denise.

front of mug rug

thimble backing fabric

Denise's project bag

Can you tell that Denise loves RED?  It's also my favorite color! (check out all the great RED things in this post, that I received). 

Here is what I got from Denise.

2 great mug rugs

check out the great tea party fabric on the backs

Denise also included a spool pin doily.  I had a great machine, just waiting for a spool pin doily.

up close of the spool pin doily

the machine the spool pin doily belongs to now

I've been doing some stitching, but, not as much.  Now that hubby is back, safe and sound, I took a few days off.  I did go to Quilts of Valor on Tuesday, but, I didn't take any pictures.

I'm stitching on the 2nd Wendy block.  This one is applique. 

Pattern by Alida

I didn't want to do fusible applique, so, I tried using another method, with plain interfacing on the other side of the fabric, then turning it inside out.  It worked on the larger pieces, but, when I got to the arms and legs, it wasn't working well.  Not sure how I will do the shoes, sash, or hair bow.  I'll just draw the lips on, instead of attempting them.  See how tiny it all is, in the pictures below (with the ruler for size).

blues are shoes, hair bow and dress sash

the lips are the tiny orange dot, by the dress

I finished this much on Monday.  I've started on the hair, but, didn't take a picture. (poor, bald Wendy).

Wendy, waiting for her hair

Wendy will be another 10 inch block.


Bonnie Hunter showed a lady with chair wheelies, on her blog last month. The lady's chair wheelies came from Camp Lebanon, a church camp, but, according to their website, they don't ship these, you have to pick them up in Minnesota.  Well, that's not going to work for me.

I decided to see if I could make some myself.  I found the furniture casters at Menards.  They had the best price (almost half the cost of anywhere else).  I also got a set of dog tennis balls at Menards.  I had to wait till hubby got home from his trip, since I didn't have a clue what glue to use.  Hubby used epoxy, and, glued them for me.  Hubby also cut X's in the tennis balls (after gluing) so that the chair legs would go in.

from the top (uncut)

so you can see the wheels

on the chair legs

whole chair with wheelies

I'll be testing these out this month, and see if the glue holds or not.  Hubby thought we might add screws & washers, but, we aren't sure there is enough clearance or not.  I'll let you know how these work out.  I can't roll on carpet, but, at my demo's (where I'll use them) I'm on hard surfaces. 

I have 3 more sew-in's this week (2 overlap on Saturday), but, I don't know what I'll be working on yet.  I need to finish Wendy before I start on anything else.  I also have another exchange due by the end of this month, that I haven't started on.  Maybe I'll get started on that.  It's a Harry Potter Frog Card exchange.  Tiny, 3" pentagon's.  Hmmmm.......I'm getting tired of tiny.  I want something BIG!